Marriage search

[Jfremont]

I have been searching the GRO index on FreeBMD and microfilm at the LDS library for a marriage record during the period 1881 to 1885. One name is a common name, John Scott, and the other name is Elizabeth Kate Shalders. These names are the parents listed on a 1885 birth certificate I have for my grandmother. There are dozens of John Scotts each quarter. I believe that if there was a marriage, it probably would be in the London area but this is conjecture at this point. During the period I have checked, I am unable to find any Shalders that would be a possibility. I have tried all the varients of the name I can think of. I have looked for 7 years before and 7 years after the probable period as well.
I was thinking of applying to the GRO office to carry out a three year search, but am unsure how they will do it. Do they only check the GRO index for matching names, like I already have done, or will they check all the John Scotts over that three year period and pull a certificate if it has Shalders as the bride?
I realize that this couple may not have married but feel I should exhaust all avenues first.
Any advice would be appreciated.
John

[Geoffers]

[I have been searching the GRO index on FreeBMD and microfilm at the LDS library for a marriage record during the period 1881 to 1885. One name is a common name, John Scott, and the other name is Elizabeth Kate Shalders....I believe that if there was a marriage, it probably would be in the London area but this is conjecture at this point.]

Hello
Passing thought but have you also looked under Shalder? Spelling of surnames did not become finally fixed until the start of the 20th century.

Have you found the family in any census returns? Their ages and place of birth may help to tie down the period when they married. if they were in their 40's when your grandmother was born, they may well have married in the 1860's.

What was John Scott's occupation? Could the marriage appear in one of the minor indexes, e.g;
Indexes to Army Chaplains' registers of births, and marriages, and deaths 1796-1880,
Indexes to Army Returns of Births, and Marriages, and Deaths 1881-1955
Indexes to Consular Registers of Births, and Marriages, and Deaths 1849-1965

The scribes who wrote the original GRO indexes sometimes had as much difficult reading writing as we do today - write down Shadler in untidy italic handwriting and try to work out how a scribe may have misread it, Skalder(s), Stalder(s)???

Search the 1881 census and note down any Shalder(s) and where they were born - is this fairly rare name tied to a particular locality which might give you clues?

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[Jfremont]

I have wondered about whether it might be possible they got married in another jurisdiction such as Scotland. I do have Scottish ancestors to check out so will investigate this possibility.

[Jfremont]

Thanks for your input.
I didn't include what I have found from census records. In 1881 I found the Shalders family including Ceclia Shalders. Apparently she used Cecilia as a fore name as well as Elizabeth Kate. She is shown as unmarried, age 20. As I mentioned in my first post I have the daughter's birth certificate (my grandmother) born 1885. In the 1891 census I found Elizabeth back with her widowed mother and family. Elizabeth is recorded as widowed. Therefore, it appears John Scott died sometime before 1891 although he may have moved out. The only record of his occupation is accountant's clerk given on the birth certificate.message=Thanks for your input.
I didn't include what I have found from census records. In 1881 I found the Shalders family including Ceclia Shalders. Apparently she used Cecilia as a fore name as well as Elizabeth Kate. She is shown as unmarried, age 20. As I mentioned in my first post I have the daughter's birth certificate (my grandmother) born 1885. In the 1891 census I found Elizabeth back with her widowed mother and family. Elizabeth is recorded as widowed. Therefore, it appears John Scott died sometime before 1891 although he may have moved out. The only record of his occupation is accountant's clerk given on the birth certificate. I have searched the 1881 census for John Scott with a similar occupation and also I tried to find addresses that were relatively close to the Shalders address. But this has only given me a couple long shots.
I have spent many hours pouring over the GRO index names to look for varients of Shalders but to no avail so far. So therefore my question of how is the search done when a three year request is made. If searchers in the GRO office pull certificates for names (John Scott) and check for matching Shalders, then this might be a way to get somewhere. But if they check the index only, then that won't help me. I sent them an email question but their response was an automatic reply of FAQ.